2010 Draft Preview: BIGS

As it stands now, the Cavaliers don't have any selections on Thursday night, but anything can happen between now and then. As the 2010 NBA Draft approaches, we'll still be taking a look at some potential picks.

Cavs.com continues its positional preview, focusing today on some of the Draft's available big men.

Solomon Alabi – 7-1, 237 – Born: March 21, 1988 (Nigeria) – College: Florida State – Continued to add weight and muscle to his frame through three years at FSU; has great physical tools; 11.7 ppg, 6.2 rpg last season; excellent free throw shooter; decent mobility for 7-1; needs to work on left hand at the next level; nice jumper when he has space, but not comfortable putting the ball on the floor; positions himself well, is not foul-prone; could struggle against quicker, more agile NBA centers; doesn’t have great lateral quickness; not a great rebounder for his size; has great intangibles – known as a great teammate, worker and person; still considered a project, especially on the offensive end of the floor.

Daniel Orton – 6-10, 269 – Born: August 6, 1990 (Oklahoma City, OK) – College: Kentucky – Averaged just 3.4 ppg and 3.3 rpg in his lone season with Kentucky, yet should be off the board in the second half of the first round; NBA-ready body, long wingspan; nimble for a man his size; good hands; got lost – at least offensively – on a star-studded Kentucky team; has wide shoulders to clear space and is a strong finisher at the rim; no left hand and is a poor ball-handler; passing skills are non-existent; not a high-flyer, but still a solid shot-blocker; missed most of his senior season in high school with left knee surgery; not considered a great “athlete”; shows a soft touch around basket, with a nice hook shot, but gained very little offensive experience at Kentucky.

Larry Sanders – 6-10, 222 – Born: November 21, 1988 (Fort Pierce, FL) – College: VCU – Hybrid big man; can be an interior force if he can add weight; same huge wingspan (7-7) as DeMarcus Cousins; started out as a project at VCU; long, quick, athletic, can really run the floor; excellent finisher around the rim; improved in each season – averaged 14.4 ppg and 9.1 rpg as a junior; not a strong shooter; not a physical post player; probably can’t consistently bang with centers, but rare physical tools could make him good defender; solid rebounder; can play either 4 or 5 at the next level – can run like a guard and finish like a forward; overall, needs to add strength to his frame; considered a perfect project for an already-established NBA team.

Kevin Seraphin – 6-9, 263 – Born: December 7, 1989 (Cayenne, French Guiana) – International: Cholet (France) – Athletic French big man; has ideal strength and toughness to play inside; huge wingspan and chiseled 263-pound frame; recent success of athletic French players have teams intrigued; one of the top rebounders and shot blockers in the ultra-athletic French Pro A League; very aggressive around the rim, a ferocious dunker; just started playing basketball at age 15; willing to bang in the post; knee injury prevented him from working out for teams and will keep him out of summer league; wide shoulders and thick legs; plays within himself; still lacks polish, offensively; shot just 52 percent from the floor despite most of his work coming around the rim; intriguing prospect, could develop into a defensive presence.

Hassan Whiteside – 7-0, 227 – Born: June 13, 1989 (Gastonia, NC) – College: Marshall – Like Sanders and Cousins, has 7-7 wingspan; led the NCAA in blocked shots at 5.4 per game; excellent timing, contests every shot; made big progress through his freshman season at Marshall; can hit the mid-range jumper; uses his length inside, gets to the line often and converts a high percentage; big issue is his underdeveloped frame; poor passer from the post; basketball IQ below average at this stage and tends to force up bad shots and turn the ball over; at 21, older than most freshman; huge upside is unquestionable.